Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1887-05-19


m srepresent facts; she had skill en- ough
so to mix truth and falsehood that
Lady Stair should not be able to con-
tradict what she said, and t IL should
be truth grossly exagger ted. She
smiled TO herself as she fet her own
power. She would 40 to Lady Stair,
and lay the plan of the campaign before
her, frlghten her, and bewilder her, so
that she would not be able to deny any
one Of the charges she should bring
against her.
In the meanwhile Lady Stair had
fastened her door, lest an intruder should
find her In that bewildered state, and
stood trying to COLLECT her scattered
houghts-trying to realize the horrors
that seemed TO be pressing around her.
First and foremost, he had gone; the
golden light had passed out of her life
forever, and she stood in the cold chill
of desperation and despair.
He was gone. There was an end o
the golden hours-of the happy days
of the bright companionship-of all the
hope and gladness that had until lately
filled her life. Ii was all ended now,
and there remained but the long dark
stretch of years in which there would
be no Darcy. She could not realize it
her happiness had been so intense;
she could not see what life would be
without him.
Then there was the knowledge that
he loved her, the still more terrible
knowledge that she loved him; there
was the passionate memory OF that en-
brace, the first and last there could ever
be between them; all these things con-
fused her, dazed her brain, and untitled
her for any contest with the enemy.
She could not think clearly; 1t was
perfect chaos of emotion, of love, of
regret, of fear, of passion; the beautiful
face blanched, the blue eyes grew wild,
the graceful figure swayed to and fro
like reed shaken by the wind. What
was she to do? Which way should she
turn? To whom should she appeal
The only one, the only true friend, it
seemed to her, that she had in the
world, was gone. He would be in
London now--the steamer was to sail
from the London docks quite early in
the morning-there was no possible way
in which she could send for him or
&C mmunicate with him-the only one
who could take her part. who could
defend her, protect her. She cried out
to him with great cry. Then came
sudden rap at the door, and a voice
saying:
''Let me in. l am Lady Perth.
want to speak to you"
1t would have been better for her had
she refused that imperious summons,
and kept the door closed; but she was
unnerved and startled. She fastened
to the door and unfastened it, and
stood pale and trembling.
II want to speak to YOU" said Lady
Perth, entering the room and closing
the door after her. "My brother, as
you heard. is from home, and will not
return until seven. have been trying
to think what my duty is, and IL seems
to be very plainly before me. | shall go
to him the moment he enters the house,
and l shall tell him all saw and heard.
l have thought it right to warn you-to
tell YOU"
In her own heart she hoped to drive
her away, to drive her to do some
desparing deed which would be fatal
and disastrous. She did not care at all
what it was LADY Stair might poison
herself; she might go out into the
white, cold moonlight and drown her.
self; she might run away-go after the
captain, go back TO her father; she
might do anything and everything she
would, Lady Perth cared little. Only
one thing was quite, clear to her, she
must drive her to despair.
Il will hear no more, Lady
PERTH" said Lady Stair. "My husband
shall be the Judge; can appeal to him
as well as you. / will go to the nur-
sery and remain with my child until
he returns"
In her heart sho thought poor child,
the nursery would be a sanctuary, that
angry voices and angry words would
not follow her there.
But Lady Perth quickly rose from
her seat, turned the key in the lock,
and then placed it in her pocket.
II object" she said. "In my broth
er's absence will do the best can in
his interest. do not know what de-
cision he will arrive at. but | feel quite
certain that when he knows what
have to tell him he will not allow you
free access to the child-he will not
allow you to have anything to do with
her."
She was the stronger woman of the
two; she was taller and of stouter nerve
than Lady Stair; she was stronger of
wiles and deceits. Lady Stair was
taken by surprise, too. The very au-
dacity of the words seemed TO paraly re
her. Lady Perth had no authority
over her, and Lady stair knew 1t, but
she was too much astonished, too star
tied, too frightened, to make any resist
ance. She simply sunk back in her
chair, gasping for breath.
"YOu will not let me see my child?"
she cried.
Lady Perth was quick to see her
advantage, and quick enough to profit
by it.
IL will not" she replied.
And when she saw the pallor Of death
spread over the beautiful face she said
to herself:
snow | have my enemy under nv
! feet"
And indeed she had. Lady Stair had
! lost all courage, all kind of hope, all
sence of what was reasonable, what
was right or possible. She was i'm a
state of abject fear. She sat mute
and dumb under this fiery insult. Then
she looked up with wild, terrified eyes
into her enemy's face.
| "Do you mean," she cried, "that
am not fit to see my own child?"
| THAT is just what l do mean,'
replied Lady Perth, shut / did not like
to put it in such plain words. After
the scene witnessed by the Herons'
Pool, say decidedly you are not fit to
have the custody of your own child.
say also that the best thing you can do
will be to follow your lover; it is only
guilt that fears as you fear, guilt is in
your white face and trembling limbs,
guilt lies in your eyes and on your lips,
guilt and my brother shall know it,"
| Again. white. frightened. and trem-